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Partial-thickness scalds in children: A comparison of different treatment strategies
E de Graaf1, M E van Baar2, M G A Baartmans3
1Erasmus Medical Centre, Erasmus University of Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Insights
Cerium nitrate-silver sulfadiazine (CN-SSD) treatment resulted in faster wound healing for pediatric partial-thickness scalds. Hydrofiber dressings offered a shorter overall clinical stay compared to silver sulfadiazine (SSD) and CN-SSD treatments.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Burn Care
- Wound Healing Research
- Dermatology
Background:
- Partial-thickness scalds are common pediatric injuries requiring effective treatment.
- Burn centers utilize various topical agents and dressings, leading to diverse clinical outcomes.
- Comparing treatment strategies is crucial for optimizing pediatric burn management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare clinical outcomes of different treatments for pediatric partial-thickness scalds.
- Evaluate hydrofiber dressing, silver sulfadiazine (SSD), and cerium nitrate-silver sulfadiazine (CN-SSD) efficacy.
- Identify the optimal treatment strategy for faster wound healing and reduced hospital stay.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective two-center study of pediatric patients with partial-thickness scalds (≤10% TBSA).
- Treatments compared: hydrofiber/SSD (Center 1) vs. CN-SSD (Center 2).
- Data collected on time to wound healing, hospital stay, infection, and surgery.
Main Results:
- CN-SSD demonstrated the shortest time to wound healing (median 13 days) compared to hydrofiber (15 days) and SSD (16 days).
- Hydrofiber dressing resulted in a significantly shorter length of hospital stay (median 3 days) versus SSD (10 days) and CN-SSD (7 days).
- Outpatient treatment duration was longer for hydrofiber (12 days) compared to SSD (6 days) and CN-SSD (4 days).
Conclusions:
- CN-SSD shows promise for accelerated wound healing in pediatric partial-thickness scalds.
- Hydrofiber dressings offer benefits in reducing overall clinical stay.
- Further prospective studies are needed to fully elucidate the merits of each treatment strategy.
Aim:
The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of different treatment strategies for children with partial-thickness scalds at two burn centers. At the first burn center, these burns were treated with a hydrofiber dressing (Aquacel®, Convatec, Inc.®, Princeton, NJ, USA) or silver sulfadiazine (SSD, Flammazine®, Sinclair IS Pharma, London, UK Pharmaceuticals), while at the second burn center, cerium nitrate-silver sulfadiazine (CN-SSD, Flammacerium®, Sinclair IS Pharma, London, UK Pharmaceuticals) was used.
Methods:
A two-center retrospective study was conducted of children admitted between January 2009 and December 2013 for partial-thickness scalds up to 10% TBSA who were treated primarily with a hydrofiber dressing or silver sulfadiazine (Burn Center Rotterdam) vs. cerium nitrate-silver sulfadiazine (Burn Center Groningen). The Dutch Burn Repository R3 and the electronic medical records of the study population were used for data extraction. The primary outcome was the time to wound healing. The secondary outcomes were the length of hospital stay, wound infection, and surgical treatment.
Results:
The time to wound healing differed between the groups (HR=1.46, 95%CI 1.17-1.82); the shortest time to wound healing was observed in the patients treated with CN-SSD (median 13 days), compared with 15 days for the patients treated with hydrofiber and 16 days for the patients treated with SSD (p<0.01). The length of stay was significantly shorter for the hydrofiber patients (medians: hydrofiber 3 days, SSD 10 days and CN-SSD 7 days; p<0.01), but their outpatient treatment period was significantly longer (medians: hydrofiber 12 days, SSD 6 and CN-SSD 4 days; p<0.01). The proportion of surgeries and the mean time to surgery was similar between the burn centers.
Conclusions:
This study compared different burn centers' treatment strategies for children with partial-thickness scalds and found a shorter time to wound healing in the CN-SSD group. Patients treated with hydrofiber had a shorter clinical period in comparison with the SSD and CN-SSD patients. The results of CN-SSD are promising and warrant further study. A prospective study is needed to gain full insight into the merits and drawbacks of the treatment strategies. This will allow clinicians to make full use of the strengths of particular treatments to benefit specific patients.
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